


Pretty Birdy

by demxntia



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, I Don't Even Know, I regret this, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is a Mess, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng has PTSD, Protective Dick Grayson, What Have I Done, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26054566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demxntia/pseuds/demxntia
Summary: When Marinette wakes up from a nightmare, Dick takes a moment to think about the damage Paris left her to deal with and what he could do to help her.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Dick Grayson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 159





	Pretty Birdy

**Author's Note:**

> I just barely regret writing this. Tell me what you guys think.

Marinette slapped her hand to her mouth as soon as she jolted awake, trying her best to stifle the cry in the back of her throat.

But, if the way Dick shifted beside her was any indication, she didn’t cover her mouth in time to completely trap the noise. Just as he woke up, she turned over, burying her face in his chest and taking in the deepest breath she could manage around her impending panic.

And he was quick to wrap his arms around her, whispering husky promises of safety in her ears. All ideas of feigning sleep left her as soon as his words processed in her mind, and Marinette whimpered, nuzzling closer to him. Her throat was closing up again, her sight blurry with the sudden torrent of tears, but that didn’t stop Marinette from reaching for him.

Dick went smoothly, letting her move him as she pleased, and smiled weakly when she finally had them situated how she wanted. They were facing each other, their legs tangled beneath the covers, and Mari seemed, if not at ease, calmer than she’d been when she woke up.

Panic attacks were regular for her - he was used to it, but watching her choke and grasp at the air in her sleep was painful. 

When he’d first met her, Marinette was damaged, sure. But she was proud, secure, and an unmovable force that he’d come to admire and love. Now he was lucky if a weak breeze didn’t knock her over. Her mental state had been in shambles ever since he found out about her situation in Paris, and, as much as he wanted to rush in and fix _everything_ for her, he couldn’t.

Her parents had programmed her to believe that she was to be kind to every person, no matter if that person deserved her kindness or not. Her teacher programmed her to think that everything wrong with the world was her fault, that she was to blame. And that wasn’t even brushing the surface of the trauma she’d undergone with her classmates and Hawkmoth.

He knew what it felt like to feel that the entire world was against him, even if he’d done nothing to deserve the ire he'd suffered through.

But he’d gained an outlet, a way to help and prevent the pain he’d experienced from happening to others. For him, Nightwing, _Robin_ , was his way of doing something _more._ For her, Ladybug had just been another responsibility. She’d watched her city burn and had to face the people she believed she’d failed the very next day.

The Marinette before him now was hurt, without a doubt, and it would take more than a few kisses and cuddles to help her heal. But Dick knew that he’d fight tooth and nail to see that sunshine smile he’d fallen in love with again. So he held her close, kissed her forehead, and urged her to go back to sleep.

As she settled beside him, he whispered, “I’ll be right here, hummingbird. I’m not going anywhere.” And Marinette giggled, sweet in a way she only managed when she was especially sleepy, and sighed.

“Okay, pretty bird.”

[come yell at me on my Tumblr!](https://dumbwritingbum.tumblr.com/)


End file.
